Weather insulation barrier

ABSTRACT

A weather insulation barrier or block for insulating residential, commercial, and industrial dwellings and structures includes a rectangular-shaped panel member that includes a flat backing member to which an insulation member, preferably composed of foam rubber, is secured with the insulation member being slightly smaller than the backing member whereby the backing member defines a continuous peripheral lip with the long sides of the lip being centered on and secured to joists or studs that form the framework of a wall or the floor of an attic thereby providing year-round insulation for the dwelling or structure. The panel members can also be interconnected to form an insulation roll whereupon the panel members can be unrolled and used as needed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to all-weather insulation materials, andmore particularly pertains to a lightweight, portable weather insulationbarrier that provides for year-round structural insulation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The need to conserve energy is an acute concern to members of societyfrom individual homeowners to commercial, industrial, and governmentagencies, organizations, and institutions. With the primary existingfossil fuels having as many drawbacks as advantages—from the politicalinstabilities of oil-producing countries to the potential technologicaldangers of the nuclear power—one interim solution is energyconservation. Energy conservation by individual homeowners not onlylessens dependence on foreign energy sources, but also has the moreimmediate effect of producing lower utility costs and bills.

Residential homes and dwellings dissipate and lose energy and heat innumerous ways. From leaky faucets and spigots and lights left on inrooms when no-one is in the rooms to ignoring thermostat settings andpoorly constructed windows, heat is lost, energy is wasted and homeutility bills and costs are much higher than need be. One of the primaryfactors in driving up utility costs is a poorly insulated dwelling. Heatis transferred and lost through the roof, the attic, the walls, and thefloor of a dwelling, and such heat transference and lost can be greatlyminimized and reduced through proper insulation techniques andmaterials. Prominent insulation materials include fiberglass battingthat comes in rolls and which can be cut to fit between the studs orjoists of the framework of the dwelling. However, working with this typeof insulation material requires skill and care, as the fiberglassstrands are an irritant to the skin and a danger if inhaled. Insulativefoam boards are also available but these are placed on the framework ofthe dwelling as it is being constructed, and it is difficult, if notimpossible, to add the insulative boards to a completed dwelling. Whatis needed is an insulation material that has year-round effectiveness,is easy to install by amateurs as well as professionals, is reasonablypriced, and has multiple uses so that the insulation material caninsulate pipes, plumbing fixtures, and heaters located not only in thedwelling but in maintenance buildings, sheds, and barns.

Thus, the prior art discloses a number of materials and forms forinsulative blocks and barriers, as well as methods and processes formaking the same.

For example, the Herweg et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,717)discloses a process for making a laminate that includes a foam coreformed between two impermeable cover sheets.

The Koonts patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,958) discloses an insulationboard wherein a closed cell foam core is enclosed between a porousfabric or paper sheet with a network of glass strands disposed betweenthe foam core and the paper sheet.

The Gluck et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,420) discloses a thermallyinsulating structural laminate having two major surfaces with at leastone of the surfaces having an air and water impervious sheet attachedthereto.

The Kelch et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,870) discloses aninsulation board that includes an insulating plastic foam materialsandwiched between thermoplastic facer films.

The Ohga et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,235,806 B1) discloses anopen-celled rigid polyurethane foam covered by and in a gas barrier filmcontainer with the container being sealed to provide for the vacuuminsulation material.

The LeDuc patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,613,425 B2) discloses a foam boardsystem and method of making the same that includes a first layer, asecond layer, and a central layer encased between the first and secondlayers.

The Groft et al. patent application (U.S. patent application publicationnumber US2005/0118408 A1) discloses a multi-layer insulation having analuminum layer, and a first foam layer positioned on one side of thealuminum layer and a second foam layer positioned on the other side ofthe aluminum layer.

Nonetheless, despite the ingenuity of the above devices, systems, andmethods of making the same, there remains a need for a low cost, easy toinstall, effective weather insulation block for homeowners anddo-it-yourself home remodelers as well as professional builders andcontractors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprehends a lightweight, easy-to-install weatherinsulation barrier or block for use in residential, commercial, andindustrial dwellings and structures for keeping the structures anddwellings cool in the summer and preventing heat loss and maintainingthe warmth of the dwelling or structure during the colder winter months.Two primary uses of the weather insulation barrier are for placementbetween the studs of the framework for a room and for placement betweenthe joists that form the floor of a room or between the joists that formthe floor of an attic.

The weather insulation barrier or block of the present inventionincludes a generally rectangular-shaped panel member sized to fitbetween studs or joists having 16-inch centers. The panel memberincludes a rectangular-shaped backing member, preferably of flexiblesupportive paper, with the backing member including a continuousperipheral lip for attaching the panel member to the joists or studs ofthe framework of the dwelling or structure. The backing member includesan interior surface and an opposite exterior surface.

Secured to the interior surface by any conventional means, such as bygluing, is a rectangular-shaped insulation member. The insulation memberis preferably composed of foam rubber, and the insulation member has athickness of at least three and one half inches for providing thedesirable amount of insulation as determined by specific R-valueratings. The length and width dimensions of the insulation member areslightly smaller than the length and width dimensions of the backingmember thereby allowing the peripheral lip to extend past the insulationmember on all sides of the insulation member.

In order to secure the weather insulation barrier in place the weatherinsulation barrier is first positioned between two adjacent studs orjoists with the portion of the lips forming each long side of theperipheral lip being centered on and resting against the respectiveadjacent joists or studs. The weather insulation barrier is then securedto the joists or studs by stapling the long sided portions of theperipheral lip to the joists or studs. The weather insulation barriercan come in individual panel members, or the panel members can beinterconnected one to another along their long sides for packaging inrolls with nine panel members per roll being a preferred arrangement.

It is an objective of the present invention to provide a weatherinsulation barrier that insulates the walls and attics of homes.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide a weatherinsulation barrier that provides for year-around weather insulation forboth warming and cooling residential, commercial, and industrialdwellings and structures.

It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide aweather insulation barrier that prevents heat loss during the wintermonths, keeps the dwelling cool during the summer months, and alsoprovides for noise control.

It is still yet another objective of the present invention to provide aweather insulation barrier that is easier and safer to handle thanfiberglass insulation panels or batting and doesn't present anyrespiratory problems or hazards.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a weatherinsulation barrier that has additional uses such being used as aninsulation blanket around aboveground pipes and plumbing, insulatingwater heaters, insulating water pump houses, and insulating livestocksheds and barns.

Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a weatherinsulation barrier that can come in separate and individual panels, ormay be packaged in a roll of at least nine panels for each roll andunrolled and used as desired.

Yet still another objective of the present invention is to provide aweather insulation barrier that is more economical to produce and lessexpensive for consumers.

Yet still a further objective of the present invention is to provide aweather insulation barrier that can be used to insulate attics, walls,ceilings, and the sub floors and underpinnings of trailers and homes.

These and other objects, features, and advantages will become apparentby those skilled in the art upon a perusal of the following detaileddescription read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figuresand appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the weather insulation barrier of thepresent invention illustrating one panel member of the weatherinsulation barrier;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the weather insulation barrier of thepresent invention illustrating the panel member first shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectioned elevational view of the weather insulation barrierof the present invention taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the weather insulation barrier of thepresent invention illustrating the placement of several insulative panelmembers within a portion of a framework, and between studs, of astructure;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the weather insulation barrier of thepresent invention illustrating the placement of several insulative panelmembers between spaced-apart joists that form the floor of an attic of adwelling;

FIG. 6 is a sectioned elevational view of the weather insulation barrierof the present invention illustrating the placement of severalinsulative panel members on the joists that extend across and form thefloor of the attic; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the weather insulation barrier of thepresent invention illustrating a number of insulative panel membersinterconnected to form an insulation roll wherein the roll can beunwrapped for removing the individual insulative panel members asneeded.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Illustrated in FIGS. 1-7 is an insulative weather barrier or block 10for providing year round insulation for residential, commercial, andindustrial structures and dwellings. The insulative weather barrier 10is easy to handle and install for both professionals and do-it-yourselfamateurs, and is used to insulate the framework—roofs, ceilings, walls,floors, underpinnings and sub floors—of structures, but can also be usedto insulate exposed outside and outdoor pipes and plumbing, water pumphouses, sheds and barns for livestock, etc.

As shown in FIGS. 1-7, the weather insulation barrier 10 can be used toinsulate the framework of a structure, such as a residential home, forkeeping the home cool in the summertime and warm in the wintertime bypreventing the loss of heat. For representative purposes FIG. 4illustrates a portion of a framework 12 for a wall with the framework 12including four vertically extending studs 14 (three of which are shown)secured at their respective upper ends and lower ends to a bottom piece16 and a top piece 18. FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the weather insulationbarrier 10 being used to insulate a portion of an attic 20 that includesa plurality of spaced-apart joists 22 that extend across and form thefloor of the attic 20.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1-7, the weather insulation barrier or block 10includes a lightweight, portable, easy-to-handle panel member 24. Thepanel member 24 is generally rectangular-shaped and preferably has thedimensions of 15 inches in width by 94 inches in length. Thus, the panelmember 24 is sized to fit between and centered on joists or studs having16-inch centers. It should be noted that an alternative width of 23inches would allow the panel member 24 to be attached to joists or studshaving 24-inch centers.

The panel member 24 includes an insulation member 26 that is preferablya foam rubber insulation material 28. The insulation member 26 ispreferably three and one half inches thick and is surrounded and encasedin and by a thin protective covering 30. The protective covering 30 iswater and weather resistant for protecting and maintaining the integrityof the insulation foam material 28. Attached to the insulation member26, as shown most distinctly in FIG. 3, is a backing member 32preferably composed of a pliable, water and weather-resistant papermaterial. The rectangular-shaped backing member 32 includes an interiorsurface 34 and an opposite exterior surface 36. In addition, when thebacking member 32 is permanently secured to the insulation member 26 byany conventional means, such as by gluing, (specifically, the insulationmember 26 is secured to the interior surface 34 of the backing member32), a continuous peripheral lip or flap 38 is formed that extendscompletely about and circumscribes the insulation member 26. Thecontinuous flap or lip 38 is further defined by having two opposedlong-sided flap portions 40 and two opposed short-sided flap portions 42with the short-sided flap portions 42 being at right angles to thelong-sided flap portions 40. Furthermore, the continuous lip or flap 38is integrally formed because the insulation member 26 has length andbreadth dimensions that are less than the backing member 32 therebyallowing for the continuous peripheral extension of the lip 38 out orbeyond the body of the insulation member 26. The continuous flap or lip38 is flexible in order to facilitate its securement to the framework ofthe dwelling as will be hereinafter further described.

In addition to the weather insulation barrier 10 comprising individualpanel members 24, the weather insulation barrier 10 can come in rolls,as shown the roll 44 in FIG. 7, wherein a plurality of panel members 24are interconnected in the form of the roll 44 to each other along theirrespective and adjoined long-sided flap portions 40. A preferredarrangement will include nine panel members 24 to the roll 44, and thepanel members 24 can be detached from each other by tearing orseparating one panel member 24 from an adjoined panel member 24 alongtheir respective long-sided flap portions 40 as needed for placement inthe desired part of the framework of the dwelling for insulationpurposes.

In placing the weather insulation barrier 10 in a part or portion of theframework, such as the framework 12 of the wall as shown in FIG. 4 orthe attic floor 20 as shown in FIG. 5, the first step would be tomeasure the area (length times width) to be insulated. The panel members24 would then be laid one at a time between the studs 14 or joists 22 sothat the long-sided portions 40 of the flaps 38 of two adjacent panelmembers 24 are centered on the same stud 14 or joist 22 with thelong-side portions 40 of both flaps 38 abutting each other and layingagainst and upon the respective stud 14 or joist 22. The flaps 38 wouldthen be secured to the stud 14 or joist 22 by any convenient means, suchas by stapling, and this process would continue until the entireframework was filled with panel members 24, such as is shown by therepresentative framework 12 of FIG. 4, or until panel members 24 coverthe entire attic floor, such as shown by the panel members 24 coveringthe representative attic floor 20 of FIGS. 5 and 6.

While embodiments of the weather insulation barrier of the presentinvention have been shown with regard to specific details, it will beappreciated that numerous alterations, variations, and changes to thepresent invention can be made while still being fairly within the scopeof the invention as set forth by the specification and appended claims.

1. A weather insulation barrier for securement to the joists and studsof a framework of a structure for insulating the structure, comprising:a lightweight, portable panel member including: a rectangular-shapedbacking member having an exterior surface and an opposite interiorsurface; a rectangular-shaped insulation member attached to the interiorsurface of the backing member; the insulation member composed of aninsulation foam material; a protective covering for encasing therein theinsulation foam material; a continuous peripheral flap integrally formedfrom the backing member and peripherally extending past the insulationmember; the continuous peripheral flap further defined by having twoopposed short-sided flap portions and two long-sided flap portions; andwhereupon the panel member is secured to the joists and studs of theframework by centering the long-sided portions of the flap of the panelmember on and against adjacent joists and studs and then stapling thelong-sided portions of the flap to the joists and studs thereby securingthe panel member to the framework and providing insulation for thedwelling.
 2. The weather insulation barrier of claim 1 furthercomprising a roll of interconnected panel members so that each panelmember can be selectively detached from the roll for placement withinthe framework of the dwelling.
 3. A weather insulation barrier forsecurement to the joists and studs of a framework of a structure forinsulating the structure, comprising: a lightweight, portable panelmember including: a rectangular-shaped backing member having an interiorsurface and an opposite exterior surface; a rectangular-shapedinsulation member attached to the interior surface of the backingmember; the insulation member composed of an insulative foam material; acontinuous peripheral flap formed from the backing member andperipherally extending about and past the insulation member; thecontinuous peripheral flap further defined by having two opposedlong-sided flap portions and two opposed short-sided flap portions; andwhereupon the panel member is positioned on the framework and attachedthereto by centering the opposed long-sided flap portions of the panelmember on and against adjacent joists and studs and then stapling thelong-sided flap portions to the joists and studs thereby securing thepanel member in position to the framework for insulating the structure.4. The weather insulation barrier of claim 3 further comprising a rollof panel members with each panel member adjoined to an adjacent panelmember along their respective long-sided flap portions so that eachpanel member can be detached from the roll as needed for insulating thestructure.